DIY: From Coffee Table to Bench

In the One Room Challenge I created a bench area against one of the walls. The bench was another DIY project for the room and was originally a coffee table.

I purchased the table a few years ago to use as a display table for craft fairs but eventually down the road I had plans to turn it into a bench for the end of our bed. I had repainted it a few times, the last paint job was distressed gold legs to go with an upholstered top that never got around to getting upholstered... until now.

First you need to find an assistant, train them young is our motto in this house (this is how most of the projects go in this house)! And unscrew the top from the apron and legs...

If your table is similar to mine you will have 2 pieces like this...

Next I had to get rid of the overhang since this was going to now be a bench. Bat your eyes and flirt with your hubby or any guy who has a saw and cut off the overhang. We followed the marks left from the apron and legs on the bottom of the table top and some painters tape.

Once the overhang is no longer and the sides are sanded down, you will need to start laying down your layers to put it all together. First lay down your choice of fabric, then batting (I have it doubled), then your foam (a cheap source for foam is a mattress pad instead of the foam by the yard from fabric stores), and then your top. Obviously make sure your foam is cut just a hair bigger than the top and everything else big enough to wrap the sides.

Then begin stapling it all together. I begin in the middle of one of the longest sides and pull tight on it, and follow that until one side is complete. Then I do the opposite side making sure to adjust the foam first as it might shift after pulling the first side. Continue these steps until all four sides are stapled and last do the corners (my technique for this changes with each project and however I can get the fabric to fold well).

Celebrate and clap once you've stapled all the way around! Your top's bottom should look like this (fold over any ends so they don't shed and fall apart)...

Last re-attach the top to the apron and legs, then sit down and enjoy your coffee table turned bench!

To see the rest of this room you can click here!

Hope this inspires you to give something old a new purpose!

-Meg